Prince George flashes cheeky grin in behind-scenes video released for 13th birthday
Prince George has officially become a teenager today as he celebrates his 13th birthday and his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have released a brand new photo as well as a video clip of the second-in-line to the throne
Prince George has officially become a teenager today – and a never-before-seen picture as well as behind-the-scenes video of him to mark his 13th birthday have been released.
The clip, posted this afternoon to mark George’s milestone birthday shows him on a family holiday to Cornwall earlier this year in a pair of sunglasses waving to the camera and flashing a cheeky grin. The 18-second video montage also shows the prince, playing cricket on the sand, patting one of the family dogs, enjoying a boat ride and clambering over rocks barefoot with his younger brother Prince Louis.
It was accompanied with a message on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s social media accounts reading: “Thank you for all the birthday wishes for George today!”
Prince George sports sunglasses and sports a cheeky grin in a new birthday video
The young prince has a go at beach cricket
It came hours after his parents the Prince and Princess of Wales, also marked their eldest son’s big day by releasing a new picture of the young prince. It shows the second-in-line to the throne smiling with his hands in his pockets while wearing a suit and a open-necked shirt.
The portrait was taken at Kensington Palace after he, his parents and siblings took part in Trooping the Colour, the King’s official birthday parade, last month.
The photo, taken by Matt Porteous – a favoured photographer of William and Kate – was posted on social media accompanied with the message: “Happy 13th Birthday, George!” with a party popper emoji.
Future King, George, made his first public appearance at just a few hours old, 13 years ago, when he was cradled in his mum Kate’s arms on the steps of the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London.
The behind-the-scenes video was shot on a recent family holiday
George clambers over rocks alongside brother Prince Louis (Image: @KensingtonRoyal/x)
He weighed 8lbs 6oz and was later christened George Alexander Louis at the Chapel Royal at St James’ Palace with his godparents including his father’s cousin Zara Tindall, the wealthy landowner the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and his late grandmother Princess Diana’s friend, Julia Samuel.
No longer the tiny baby, the youngster is now as tall as his mum, with his 13th birthday coming at a pivotal time in his life. In September, he will follow in his father William’s footsteps by starting at the £63,000-a-year Eton College, where he is expected to board full-time.
It also comes as the young prince has been making more and more public appearances alongside his parents at the likes of Trooping the Colour – while last month he carried out his first official joint engagement with his mum as they visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby.
A brand new photo of Prince George released for his 13th birthday
George enjoys a boat ride
The young prince is currently on his summer holidays from school along with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and was last seen in public at Wimbledon earlier this month. He watched the men’s singles final from the Royal Box and was also invited to play tennis by British wildcard Arthur Fery, who made the semi-finals.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror: “It’s obviously a huge year ahead for George. Becoming a teenager is still quite a landmark in any young life. But when it means you are also moving schools and essentially leaving home – at least on a part-time basis – it’s pretty momentous.
“Luckily, George has two very switched-on parents who have brought him up to talk about his feelings and his fears, and they will only have taken the decision for him to start boarding at Eton after discussing it with him fully, and being certain that this is what he wants. So he’ll probably view the year ahead with a few nerves but a lot of excitement.”
Unlike many teenagers of a similar age, George’s future destiny already appears to be mapped out – with a life of royal duty and service expected to be in store.
George will start at Eton College in September
And with royal life seemingly ahead of him, William and Kate have tried hard to juggle a fine balance between preparing George for his future role, while at the same time allowing him and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to have a normal childhood.
George’s time at school is fiercely protected by his parents, and for milestones like birthdays, carefully chosen family photos are released – many of them taken by Kate herself.
However, there has been an uptick in public events for the young prince in recent months. Last year, he also joined his parents to meet veterans at Buckingham Palace during VE Day commemorations and attended his first Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall.
While last Christmas, William introduced him to his efforts in trying to tackle homelessness by taking him to The Passage, a homeless shelter, where father and son served up Christmas dinner.
William and Kate with Prince George hours after he was born on July 22, 2013
But despite George becoming older and understanding his future more and more, Jennie doesn’t believe we should expect significantly more duties from him anytime soon.
She explained: “I don’t think we’re going to see George taking part in an increased number of official royal duties in the near future. Quite frankly, he has enough on his plate with his new school and his education.
“But his parents are very cleverly getting him used to the reality of his public profile at occasions like Trooping the Colour, and also by having a camera around when, for example, he recently visited an RAF base with his mother.
Prince George with his father Prince William at the men’s singles Wimbledon final earlier this month
“The pictures were then released to mark Armed Forces Day, but he didn’t have to put up with banks of cameras and reporters while he was there. “I’m sure he has a full understanding by now of what lies ahead – especially having seen the funeral of his great-grandmother and the Coronation of his grandfather.
“It must be a daunting prospect – and hard for a young lad to realise that his destiny, his career and his life are mapped out already.”
